A Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy followed footprints in the snow near Breitenbush Lake along the Pacific Crest Trail and located a man who had been lost for four days, according to the agency.
The rescue occurred on October 30, 2026. The sheriff’s office described the response as happening “This afternoon” in its post dated October 30, 2026.
A track that prompted a closer look
The agency said one of its Forest Patrol deputies noticed that one track appeared to be barefoot. Concerned for the person’s safety, the deputy began following the footprints.
After tracking the footprints for nearly five miles, the deputy found a man wrapped in a sleeping bag in the middle of Forest Service Road 4220, the sheriff’s office said.
The agency identified the responder as Forest Patrol Deputy Ramseyer. It said the man was transported to Detroit, where medics treated him for exposure to the elements.
The agency’s backcountry reminder
In its release, the sheriff’s office urged visitors to carry an inReach or similar emergency communication device and warned that weather conditions can change suddenly at higher elevations.
Source: Marion County Sheriff’s Office: October 30 rescue account.